Willie Nelson has announced the release of his 77th solo studio album, Oh What A Beautiful World, set to arrive on April 25th. Marking his 154th album overall, this project centers on the songs of Texas singer-songwriter Rodney Crowell, continuing Nelson’s tradition of dedicating entire albums to a single songwriter’s work.
Nelson, 91, and Crowell share a long history, their paths crossing frequently since the mid-1960s when Crowell first encountered Nelson’s music on the radio and at Houston shows. Nelson initially recorded a Crowell song in 1983 and revisited his catalog as recently as 2024’s The Border. Produced by Nelson’s longtime collaborator Buddy Cannon, the album features 12 tracks handpicked from Crowell’s 50-year career, backed by a group of Nashville musicians accompanying Nelson’s vocals and guitar work on his iconic Trigger.
The title track, “Oh What A Beautiful World,” is a duet between Nelson and Crowell, now available to stream. The album spans early songs like 1976’s “Banks Of The Old Bandera” (recorded by Jerry Jeff Walker) and 1981’s “Shame On The Moon” (a Bob Seger hit), to 1990s cuts such as “What Kind Of Love” (co-written with Will Jennings from a Roy Orbison melody) and “Stuff That Works” (co-written with Guy Clark). It also includes 2000s tracks written for Keith Urban and Tim McGraw, four selections from Crowell’s 2010s albums, and a song released as recently as 2021.
Tracklist:
- What Kind Of Love
- Banks Of The Old Bandera
- The Fly Boy & The Kid
- Forty Miles From Nowhere
- I Wouldn’t Be Me Without You
- Making Memories Of Us
- Oh What A Beautiful World (with Rodney Crowell)
- Open Season On My Heart
- Shame On The Moon
- She’s Back In Town
- Still Learning How To Fly
- Stuff That Works
Fans can listen to the title track and pre-save the album via a link on Nelson’s social media. Additional details are available there as the April 25 release approaches.
